Rabid bobcat attacks 3 camp counselors at Connecticut state park
State officials are investigating after they said a rabid bobcat attacked three camp counselors on an island in Connecticut last week.
According to the Deep River Fire Department in Middlesex County, the incident took place just after 2:00 a.m. on Friday at the Selden Neck State Park in Lyme.
The area where the attack took place is just over 35 miles south of Hartford and no fatalities were reported.
Crews responded to the scene for a report of multiple people injured by an animal on Selden Neck Island, the department wrote in a press release.
Three adults and nine juveniles were taken from the island to the shore and all three adults were hospitalized for treatment for unspecified injuries, the fire department said.
No other injuries were reported.
Sleeping in a hammock
The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) could not immediately be reached by Paste BN, but officials with the agency told the New York Times an investigation was launched after learning one of the counselors was attacked while sleeping in a hammock.
The victim was among three adults counselors leading a group of youth campers participating in the state’s Wilderness School, the Times reported.
According to the outlet, the adults killed the bobcat following the attack and the animal was sent to a state lab where it tested positive for rabies.
According to its website, the school −a program of the State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families − "serves as an enrichment program for young people looking to make positive changes." For some attendees, the site says, the school serves as "a prevention or intervention service."
Michael Williams, deputy commissioner with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, said the staff members were attacked while on an off-site expedition with local youth.
The Wilderness School, Williams said, offers year-round wilderness programs ranging in length from one day to 20-day expeditions that include hiking, camping, canoeing and other experiences.
The group, he told Paste BN, was in an authorized area for camping.
"Due to their courageous and outstanding efforts, the safety of the youth was maintained, and they were not harmed," Williams said.
'Appear as large as possible'
According to the National Park Service and DEEP, bobcats are slightly larger than house cats and have a bobbed tail. Adult male bobcats typically weigh 18 and 35 pounds while females weigh from 15-30 pounds.
Anyone who comes into contact with a bobcat should not run from it, officials said. If approached, "try to appear as large as possible and back away slowly." If attacked, fight back, NPS says.
According to a fact sheet from the state's website, in bobcats have been historically viewed as a threat to agriculture and game species. "The state even had a bounty on bobcats from 1935-1971," according to DEEP. "By the early 1970s, a large increase in the value of bobcat pelts raised concerns that the population could be overharvested."
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.